Draft Prospect: Greivis Vasquez

[Bruno]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/images/02/26/vasquez2.jpg
Height: 6-5
Weight: 195 lbs
Birthday: 01/16/1987
College: Maryland

DraftExpress (http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Greivis-Vasquez-1133/)
nbadraft (http://www.nbadraft.net/players/greivis-vasquez)

[Pucho!!!]

Very interesting prospect. I saw when he put up a triple double (35 pts 11 reb 10 asst) on UNC during the ACC tourney, I believe, so he does have sum skills, could be a manu type player (esp if he improves his shooting). I wouldn't mind the spurs grabbing him with one of their last 2 picks.

[TheProfessor]

Million dollar talent, 10-cent head.

[urunobili]

I think his game won't translate to the pro's...

[symple19]

This guy is good offensively, but also has the tendency to disappear. Nice size, can get into the lane and finish. I wonder whether he has the ability to guard NBA talent on the perimeter though.

Here's some background http://tinyurl.com/qqof49

[Bruno]

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/terrapins-insider/2009/05/vasquez_works_out_for_wizards.html



Maryland guard Greivis Vasquez was one of four players to work out for the Washington Wizards today at Verizon Center. Vasquez said it was his third pre-draft workout (Cleveland and San Antonio were the others) and that he had several more on tap before June 15, the date by which he must decide whether he is going to remain in the NBA draft or return to the Terrapins for his senior season.


On meeting Spurs guard Manu Ginobili at his San Antonio workout: "He was working out by himself where the college guys were working out. He just said: 'Keep working and don’t give up. You’re going to go to workouts where things are probably not going to go your way. People are going to score on you. Sometimes, things are going to go wrong, but just keep your composure and be a leader and things are going to work out for you.' "

[urunobili]

Coach Carlos Morales from ESPN deportes is in love with this guy....

[TheProfessor]

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/terrapins-insider/2009/05/vasquez_works_out_for_wizards.htmlOn meeting Spurs guard Manu Ginobili at his San Antonio workout: "He was working out by himself where the college guys were working out. He just said: 'Keep working and don’t give up. You’re going to go to workouts where things are probably not going to go your way. People are going to score on you. Sometimes, things are going to go wrong, but just keep your composure and be a leader and things are going to work out for you.' "
Yet another reason Manu Ginobili is awesome. Great advice that Vasquez actually really needs.

[Steve-O-Matic]

I actually like Vasquez, but forget the Manu comparisons because they're not in the same league athletically. That said, he has some interesting combo-guard skills that may be worth developing, as well as a great competitive fire, so taking him with one of the two late 2nd rounders wouldn't be a bad investment.

[Pucho!!!]

combo-guard skills that may be worth developing, as well as a great competitive fire
Maybe not in the same class as Manu when it comes to atheleticism, but I think portions of his game r similar to that of Manu's which u can agree : )

[Blackjack]

June 3, 2009

Looking at Vasquez and Born Ready

First, let me tell you the latest from Maryland guard Greivis Vasquez's road tour as he visits NBA teams.

*Greivis continues to work out for teams. Most recently, he attended a workout of some 10 clubs. His schedule has been pretty frenetic.

*He recently met Larry Bird. This was a big moment for him. The former NBA great is the Indiana Pacers team president.

*Vasquez hasn't made up his mind yet. "He's not leaning one way or another," said Stu Vetter, his former high school coach at Montrose Christian. "It's definitely going to come down to the last day or two."

The deadline to decide is two weeks away. One advantage to waiting until the very end is that it gives Vasquez some leverage.

Consider what happens if an NBA team covets Vasquez. If he is still seriously considering returning for his senior season, the team may need to up the ante to secure his remaining in the draft.

Having said all that, I believe Vasquez will likely remain at Maryland. One reason is the abundance of quality point guards in this year's draft. Another is that Vasquez feels at home at Maryland. If he believes it will benefit his draft position to come out next year instead of this one, that's what he will do.

So how does Maryland's recruitment of Lance "Born Ready" Stephenson -- the heralded guard from Brooklyn, N.Y. -- fit into all this?

After doing some interviews on the subject, I believe Maryland would be more tempted to take Stephenson (if he agreed to come) if Vasquez were to depart for the NBA.

Naturally, Maryland knows all about Stephenson's baggage -- the Internet reality show, the court case, the questions about whether he'd be a good teammate. Like the other potential suitors, Maryland must weigh those questions against what he'd bring to the court and how badly he's needed.

If Vasquez were to leave, the Terps could really be scoring-challenged. Consider that Maryland was 10th in the ACC (conference games only) in scoring last season. And that was with Vasquez leading the team in scoring, rebounding and assists.

Without Vasquez or Stephenson, it's hard to imagine the Terps keeping pace in the conference. Sean Mosley, Adrian Bowie and Eric Hayes are good guys and hard workers, but they'd struggle by themselves to put the sort of pressure on a defense that an ACC backcourt should.

Should be an interesting two weeks. By the way, the precise deadline for Vasquez to decide is 5:00 in the afternoon on June 15.


http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/college/maryland_terps/blog/2009/06/

[exstatic]

http://www.tms.org/pubs/journals/JOM/0505/fig3.large.gif

[anjlbitz]

http://www.tms.org/pubs/journals/JOM/0505/fig3.large.gif

:lol Glad I'm not the only one who thought of him

[objective]

Vasquez is going back to school.

link (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2009/news/story?id=4260925)

[Bruno]

:)

[blkroadrunners]

I really like Greivis Vasquez; I hope he does well in the NBA.

[exstatic]

Meh. Really raw 23 YO projects aren't a good bet.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Beat me to it, ex.

I was going to say: "are we sure this guy isn't a Sith Lord?"

[hsxvvd]

Felipe Lopez II

[mountainballer]

maybe an interesting detail:
Vasquez signed with Herb Rudoy and Arturo Ortega.
this means 2 things:
-he prepares the jump to Europe and will try to get a contract in Spain.
-he is under contract with an agent with a very close relationship to the Spurs.
(Manu, Splitter, Oberto)

[Darkwaters]

Vasquez wouldn't be a bad pick for a late draft n' stash. I liked the de Colo pick last year (I was rooting for it) and Vasquez wouldn't be bad either. With such a late pick it's pretty much a crap shoot anyways - so take a shot.

[taps]

He has slowly grown on me throughout the year I'd like to see him with our 2nd pick but goddamn the glut at the guard spot continues.

Going into next year : Hairston, Jerrels, DeColo*, Temple; though Vasquez conceivably could surprise and be better than all of them or just not be able to handle NBA b-ball whatsoever. All with the trio of Hill, TP, Manu ostensibly set in stone.

The Manu comparisons have been widely stated but I see some Steve Nash in the way he uses smarts/tricks to score at the rim despite his groundboundedness.

Haven't seen enough to comment on his Defense, but I think what makes manu manu is that he's just as likely to make a game changing play on either side of the ball. It's such a big part of his game if grievous isn't a tenacious defender the manu comparison holds less water IMO.

*According to an interview Bruno posted a while back Claudio Crippa speculates that DeColo will need another year of development in Europe

[Darkwaters]

My anticipation is that Jerrells doesn't make the team and De Colo stays in Europe at least one more season. Besides, I see De Colo as more of a shooting guard with PG skills than a true combo guard. He would end up getting torched in the NBA if he tried to play the lead guard. I also anticipate that Temple will indeed make the team.

In that instance Vasquez would either get a rider spot on the team and sent to the NBDL or he would go to Europe a la Mr. Gist. Still, I'd take him if hes there.

[FeZZy]

He can either be....

1) Manu II which would be great

or

2) Romel Beck II would be gay

[DesignatedT]

NBADraft.net has him at #42 overall right now and DX has him at #51.

might not be a bad option for us at #49


From BR:
Grevis Vasquez, PG 6’6’’ Maryland

As I dig deeper into the NBA draft prospects I still believe the point guard class is weak but not as weak as I thought.

Grevis Vasquez has also had a good combine and he thinks himself that his draft stock has raised tremendously. Stating we’re in for a surprise come draft day. Vasquez will be a good prospect in the NBA and it just a matter of time before scouts start respecting that.

[Drom John]

If the first 19 go consensus, then at 20, the top pro potential Hollinger PER available for the Spurs would be Vasquez. Vasquez ranked #10. He would be a Hill type pick.

[duncan228]

NBA Draft: The Non-Existent Hype Surrounding Greivis Vasquez Is Ridiculous (http://dimemag.com/2010/06/nba-draft-the-non-existent-hype-surrounding-greivis-vasquez-is-ridiculous/)
By Camron Ghorbi
Dime

It’s damn near impossible to fly under the radar in a conference as highly regarded and widely publicized as the ACC. With six tourney teams in 2010 and five National Champions over the past ten years (including a current stretch of two straight winners), the ACC is often considered among the best conferences in the country. As a grey area abounds concerning Philadelphia’s Draft plans and DeMarcus Cousins’ maturity issues (http://dimemag.com/2010/06/2010-nba-draft-someones-athleticism-being-compared-to-a-young-kobe-bryant/), there’s another question that needs answering: Why is the only player in ACC history to ever compile 2,000 points, 700 assists and 600 rebounds a widely unknown commodity heading into Thursday’s NBA Draft?

The non-existent hype surrounding Greivis Vasquez only two days before Draft Day is a microcosm of the 6-6 guard’s career at the University of Maryland (http://dimemag.com/2010/05/top-5-most-underrated-prospects-in-the-2010-nba-draft/). At nearby Montrose Christian High School (Rockville, Md.) Vasquez’ talent at the guard position was clear; big enough to drive past smaller guards, Vasquez was also praised for his vision and passing abilities. Skeptics were quick to mention his 180-pound frame and low scoring totals, which they felt would ultimately deter him from being successful in the ACC. As would be the case for the remainder of his four years at Maryland, it wouldn’t take long for the Venezuelan to prove the doubters wrong.

Averaging 9.8 points and 4.6 assists as a freshman, Vasquez earned Honorable Mention on the ACC All-Freshman team. While the first team boasted the likes of Brandan Wright and Javaris Crittenton, Vasquez quietly became one of the leaders for the Terrapins, starting 21 games for a team that earned a #4-seed in the tourney. And after Wright, Crittenton and fellow Honorable Mention winner Thaddeus Young all declared themselves eligible for the NBA Draft, Vasquez returned to College Park ready to build on a successful freshman campaign.

With the graduation of veterans D.J. Strawberry and Mike Jones, however, much of the offensive burden was placed squarely on Vasquez’ shoulders. Teaming up with senior James Gist, the sophomore earned All-ACC Second-Team honors and finished fifth in the conference with a 17.0-point average. While the team struggled through a mediocre .500 performance in ACC play, it was clear by season’s end that Vasquez was a budding star for Gary Williams; the Venezuelan led the ACC in assists per game (6.8), including an ACC season high of 15 dimes in a win against N.C. State.

After a disappointing NIT exit in 2008, Vasquez and the Terrapins had their work cut out for them in 2009. With the graduation of Gist and Boom Osby, Vasquez led a team of widely unproven talent to another NCAA tournament. In an overtime win against then-#3 North Carolina, Vasquez went off for a triple double (35 points, 11 boards, 10 dimes), the first of its kind in Maryland in over 20 years. There was his 33-point showing at N.C. State in a crucial conference victory. And after leading his team to the postseason, Vasquez posted 27 points in a first-round tourney win over Cal. But after leading his team so far, even Vasquez (18 points) couldn’t do anything against the #2 Memphis Tigers, who steamrolled the Terrapins in a 19-point victory.

By the end of his senior season, the legend of Greivis Vasquez was forever sealed on the College Park campus. Awarded the Bob Cousy Award as the nation’s top point guard and named ACC Player of the Year, Vasquez finished the season with a 19.6-point and 6.3-assist average. He scored his 2,000th point as a senior, putting the finishing touches on a brilliant career by once again leading his team to the NCAA tournament, where he averaged 21 points per game in the team’s two tourney games. And after four years of hard work, Vasquez had finally earned the recognition he deserved as the best player in arguably the best conference in the country.

Next up for Vasquez is Thursday’s NBA Draft, where the 23-year-old is projected as a second-round pick. While question marks continue to surround many of the top-ranked prospects as we inch closer and closer to Draft Day, there’s one player who managed to answer all the critics with his continuously brilliant play in his four years at Maryland. And when the questions begin to pop up in earnest during summer league play and training camp, no player will be more prepared to answer than Greivis Vasquez.

[tdunk21]

the fakers are so high on this kid

[DesignatedT]

Be a good 2nd round pick if he drops.

[timvp]

He makes sense for the Spurs on some levels. When playing with Hill, the Spurs could somewhat hide Vasquez's defensive shortcomings while Vasquez could handle the playmaking on the other end. The Spurs usually target competitors and he fits the bill. A decent shooter and should be ready to play right away. Also, when the Spurs drafted Gist, the FO talked about how much they respected the Maryland program.

At 20, he wouldn't be that good of a pick. At 49, it'd be very hard to pass him up.



Oh and the Spurs would give him a slight bump for his marketability in S.A.

[ABrooks111]

I'd be very happy with taking him in the second.